Facts About Gambling

Gambling is happening when you are spending time and money ‘taking a risk’ on an event with an uncertain outcome. Items of value, like money, cars, holidays, are given out according to the outcome of the event.

Outcomes include which horse or dog comes first, which symbols are displayed on a pokie machine after you press a button, or which numbers come up in a lottery.

The risk is that you don’t know what the outcome will be before you use your or someone else’s money to gamble. You might win, you might lose. But remember that gambling is designed for the organiser to make a profit, in the long run the people gambling lose.

Types of gambling include (but are not limited to):

• Pokie machines
• Casino table games like blackjack or roulette
• Horse and dog racing
• Internet casinos and betting
• Sports betting
• Card games
• Lotto or scratch tickets
• Bingo or housie
• Raffle tickets

New ways to gamble are being designed all the time.

Robert L. Custer, M.D., identified six types of gamblers:

1. Professional gamblers make their living by gambling and thus consider it a profession. They are skilled in the games they choose to play and are able to control both the amount of money and time spent gambling. Thus, professional gamblers are not addicted to gambling. They patiently wait for the best bet and then try to win as much as they can.

2. In contrast to professional gamblers, antisocial or personality gamblers use gambling as a way to get money by illegal means. They are likely to be involved in fixing horse or dog races, or playing with loaded dice or marked cards. They may attempt to use a compulsive gambling diagnosis as a legal defense.

3. Casual social gamblers gamble for recreation, sociability and entertainment. For them, gambling may be a distraction or a form of relaxation. Gambling does not interfere with family, social or vocational obligations. Examples of such betting are the occasional poker game, Super Bowl bets, a yearly trip to Las Vegas and casual involvement in the lottery.

4. In contrast, serious social gamblers invest more of their time in gambling. Gambling is a major source of relaxation and entertainment, yet these individuals place gambling second in importance to family and vocation. This type of gambler could be compared to a "golf nut," whose source of relaxation comes from playing golf. Serious social gamblers still maintain control over their gambling activities.

5. Custer's fifth type, relief and escape gamblers, gamble to find relief from feelings of anxiety, depression, anger, boredom or loneliness. They use gambling to escape from crisis or difficulties. Gambling provides an analgesic effect rather than a euphoric response. Relief and escape gamblers are not compulsive gamblers. They are identical to relief and escape drinkers.

6. Compulsive gamblers have lost control over their gambling. For them, gambling is the most important thing in their lives. Compulsive gambling is a progressive addiction that harms every aspect of the gambler's life. As they continue to gamble, their families, friends and employers are negatively affected. In addition, compulsive gamblers may engage in activities ­ such as stealing, lying or embezzling ­ which go against their moral standards. Compulsive gamblers cannot stop gambling, no matter how much they want to or how hard they try.

Custer, R.L. and Milt, H. (1985). When Luck Runs Out. New York: Warner Books.

What is compulsive gambling?

New Zealanders have a reputation as some of the world's heaviest gamblers. Gambling, a tradition in New Zealand, has gained strength over the last decade through the rapid growth and expansion of the gambling industry. For many people gambling is an enjoyable recreational activity. For some, it may be once a year on Melbourne Cup Day, but for many, it is a normal part of their week's activity. Those who have serious interest in gambling usually devote a great deal of money and time to it.

Some people find that gambling becomes a serious problem which they are unable to control. This is known as 'compulsive' or 'pathological' gambling. Compulsive gambling is recognised as a mental disorder, and is characterised by a chronic and progressive failure to resist the impulse to gamble.

It involves gambling behaviour that compromises, disrupts or damages personal, family, or vocational pursuits. It is known to increase during times of stress, and can lead to problems such as disrupted family relationships, inattention to work, financial crises and criminal activity in order to obtain money. These problems in turn lead to a further intensification of the gambling behaviour.

Compulsive gamblers often believe that money causes, and at the same time is the solution to all their problems. They make no serious attempt to budget or save money, and are often over-confident, very energetic, easily bored and often "big spenders". There are times when they show signs of personal stress, anxiety and depression. In fact, many compulsive gamblers report boredom/depression or stress as the main reasons for their gambling.

There are different levels of gambling which can affect a person’s wellbeing in different ways.

• Social Gambling is casual and fun. You may gain enjoyment from the gambling or social company.
• Heavy Gambling is where you gamble often and / or with large amounts of money. Your moods and emotions are likely to depend on gambling.
• Problem Gambling is where you are less and less able to resist the impulse to gamble. The gambling affects your moods, relationships, work / study and finances in a negative way.
• Pathological or Compulsive Gambling is where you are unable to resist the impulse to gamble. You are experiencing an addiction and your wellbeing is badly affected by the gambling.

Some people progress through each level over time. Others may reach the level of problem or compulsion very quickly. At the problem or pathological end the gambling is likely to also be affecting others around the person gambling.

The gambling has become a problem if it affects your wellbeing in any way indicated above, and is also a problem if it is affecting those around you.

Think about these questions:

• Do you bet more than you can afford to lose?
• Do you need to gamble with larger amounts of money to get the same feeling of excitement?
• Do you go back another day to win back money you have lost?
• Do you borrow money or sell things to gamble?
• Do you feel you might have a problem with gambling?
• Do people criticize you or tell you that you have a problem with gambling, whether or not you think it is true?
• Do you feel guilty about the way you gamble, or what happens when you gamble?
• Has your gambling caused you any health problems, including stress or anxiety?
• Has your gambling caused any financial problems for you or your household?

Gambling might be a problem if you:

• Are spending more money and time than intended on gambling
• Feel life is boring when you are not gambling
• Find your family and friends are becoming less important than your gambling
• See gambling as a way to get out of debt
• Are constantly borrowing money to pay ordinary bills or expenses
• Start selling personal items, like your TV or stereo, to get money or take other people’s property for the same reason
• Become secretive about money
• Become secretive about where you are and what you are doing
• Start acquiring new credit cards
• Suddenly start avoiding certain people (e.g. you might owe them money)
• Have dipped into savings or other assets – or have stopped / cut back your contributions to them
• Lose interest in social activities, refuse invitations you would usually accept.

Someone with a gambling problem might try to cover up by:

• Coming up with rational, and reasonable, excuses to explain absences (e.g. working late, car breaking down, visiting friends, studying at the library, etc).
• Hiding bank and credit card statements, maybe saying the bank never sent them.
• Offering excuses or telling lies to explain how they have lost money (e.g. computer error in their pay, losing their wallet, unexpected expenses, bank made a mistake, etc).
• Working overtime or getting a 2^nd job to cover debts.

If you’re still not sure whether you have, or someone you know has, a gambling problem, call the Gambling Helpline to talk about the things you have noticed. Or check out our self-assessment and self-help pages.